Heater



Match 10, 1936- H. .w. A. JOHNSON ET AL 2,033,904

HEATER Filed Sept. 20, 1934 JBY M rl/Y 7/ 4 Z1 Z7 & 7i 7?} WCZ PatentedMar. 10, 1936 umrco STATES PATENT OFFICE HEATER Applicatiom September20, 1934, Serial No. 744,760

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in water heating apparatus and isdirected more particularly to water heaters of the type commonly knownas side arm heaters which are used in connection with domestic hot watersystems and the like.

One object of the invention is the provision of a heater of the typereferred to which is simple in construction so asto be economical tomanufacture and is accomplished by the novel combination and arrangementof related parts as will hereinafter appear.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a heater constructedand arranged in such a way as to operate with the greatest efiiciency. Arelatively large amount of water is heated with a minimum fuelconsumption and this is by reason of the novel combination andarrangement of. parts to be hereinafter described.

Numerous and Various other novel featuresand advantages of the inventionwill. be more fully hereinafter referred to in connection with theaccompanying. description of the present preferred form of the inventionreference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

- Fig. 1 is an elevational sectional view showing a heater structureembodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional elevational view showing the flue of theheater and its relation to other parts thereof;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the lower drip cup of the heater; andv Fig. 5 is an elevational view through the drip cup taken in a plane atan angle to that of the section shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawingmore in detail the invention will now be fullydescribed;

In a general way the heater comprises an upper cap or header 2 and alower base 4' disposed at opposite or upper and lower ends of spacedouter and inner tubular shells 6 and 8 and a drip cup I 0 located belowthe base has burner mechanism associated therewith.

The cap 2' is provided with an annular water chamber 'lZ for receivingcold water through a pipe- !4. A'hub iii on the upper end of the capthreadedlyreceives a coupling Hi to which may be secured in anywell-known manner an ofitake pipe sothat water may circulate from theheater.

The tubular shells E and 8 are spaced apart as shown and have theirupper ends secured to the cap 2 any well-known manner as by beingsecured in suitable grooves by brazing, welding or the like, or ofcourse the jointure between the shells and caps may be made by apressing operation, screw threads, or by any other wellknown means.

A hollow coupling gland 20 is screw-threaded in a web 3 of the cap andreceives the upper end 22 of a coil 24. A bushing 28 threadedly'receivesthe lower end of the member 20 and is also hollowed out for receivingthe end 22 of the coil while a gland 26 is screwed into the lower end ofthe bushing to compress packing such as 29. .There is a ring of packing30 between the bush.-

ing 28 and web 3. By means of the parts just described, the upper end ofthe coil is secured to the cap and as will be observed, there is spacearound the part 20 which is separate from the water chamber.

As a special feature of the invention, the threaded part of member I6 isrelatively large so that the tapped opening in the hub i6 is larger indiameter than the diameter of the gland 2D. 'I'hisis to permit insertionof the gland 2|] through the opening and facilitates manipulation of thegland 20 for making up the connections between the coil and cap.

The base 4' is secured to the lower end of the shells 6 and 8' after themanner already described in connection with the cap and upper ends ofthe shells and the base has a chamber 32 therein'as shown.

An elbow 34 is provided, to which the lower end 36of the coil 24 isconnected by means of a gland 38 which is threaded in the upper end ofthe said elbow. A hollow coupling 40 is in threaded engagement with thelower end of the member 34 and a packing 42 is provided so that themember 34 may be secured to the base in a tight manner. Thus the lowerend of the coil is detachably connected to the compartment 32 of thebase 4.

A plug 44 is screwed into the base which is preferably somewhat largerin diameter than the diameter of member 40. This is so that the membermay be inserted through the opening for the plug 44 and facilitatesmaking up the connections for the lower end of the coil as described.

A flue 46 is provided which extends through a side of the base 4 and ofcourse is out of com munication with the water chamber 32 of the base,as indicated in Fig. 2.

A combustion tube 50 extends upwardly and is spaced from the inner shell8 and from the coil "24', Thus there is provided a space between it andThe drip cup I0 is arranged so that its upper end slips over a flange 54which extends downwardly from the base 4 and may be held in place as byscrews such as 58 threadedly engaging the flange 54 of the base. A'boss58 is provided on the inner side of the cap I0 which extends therein andis joined to a central hub 62. The boss 58 is hollowed out to have afuel passageway 60 which extends downwardly and inwardly, as shown.

The said central hub 62 has a chamber 64 therein into which leads fromthe bottom of the cup one or more air passages such as 66 (see Fig. 5).A hollow nozzle 68 has a part I0 which is screw-threaded in the hub 62above the fuel passageway 60 and a fitting I2, screwed into the lowerside of the cup, has a needle valve I4 in threaded engagement therewith.

A plug screw I6 in the end of the fitting I2 is removable so that theneedle valve I4 may be turned in one direction or the other to adjustthe needle valve relative to the nozzle or tube 68. In this way thesupply of fuel for the burner is controlled. An opening 'II in the lowerside of the. cup is normally closed by a plug I3 which may be removedfor draining the cup.

A damper plate indicated by I8 may be provided which has openings suchas therethrough for registering with the air passageways 66 in the lowerside of the cup I0 and a'nut 80 on the member I2 may be provided forclamping the plate I8 in various positions of adjustment to facilitateadjustment of the air opening or openings extending into space 64.

A burner nozzle indicated by 84 has a screwthreaded portion 88 by meansof which it is secured to the hub 62 and its upper end may have a cap 88which is provided with a multiplicity of openings such as 90 so that aplurality of jets of fuel may be discharged through the nozzle. Aplurality of vent openings such as 85 which may be of any form or shapedesired are provided through the side wall of the drip cup I 0.

A column 86 preferably in the form of a pipe is connected at its upperend by means of a fitting 88' to the pipe I4 associated with the cap 2while its lower end is connected as by a T 90' or other suitable fittingto a water inlet pipe, 92. Below the T 90' there is a fuel-control valvemechanism 94 to which a fuel supply is connected as by a pipe 96. A fuelconnection 98 extends from the control mechanism 94 into and through thedrip cup and carries on its inner end a fuel shut-off mechanismindicated by I00 which has its lower end in threaded engagement with theboss 56 and in communication with the fuel passageway 60.

The mechanisms 94 and I 00 form no part of the present invention and areshown for illustrative purposes only. Any mechanism may be located at 94which has the ability to control the supply of fuel to the heateraccording to temperature variations and the mechanism I00 may takevarious forms but will be arranged to shut off the supply of fuel shouldthe flame at the burner be cut off. A thermostat tube 10' associatedwith the mechanism 94 extends upwardly within the column 86 foroperating the said mechanism 94.

One or more passageways such as I02 are provided in the cap which serveas connections between the water chamber I2 of the cap and thespacebetween the outer and inner shells 6 and 8. One or more bleed holesindicated by 5 may connect the water chamber of the cap with the spacetherein around the gland 20 while other passageways I04 are provided inthe base between the water chamber 32 thereof and the space 1 betweenthe outer and inner shells 6 and 8.

A bafile I04 is provided in the space between the outer and inner shellmembers 6 and 8 and this is preferably arranged spirally so as to causewater to take a circuitous course downwardly and around through thepassageway from the cap to the base.

The apparatus may be connected to hot water systems of various types andused in various Ways. For the purpose of describing the operation of theapparatus in a rough way it will be assumed that the water inlet pipe 92and an outlet or takeoff pipe extending from the upper connectioncoupling I8 are connected to a hot water storage tank so that the heateris in series with the said storage tank. When so connected, water entersthrough pipe 92 and circulates upwardly through the column 86 and pipeI4 into the water chamber I2 of the cap or head. Then the watercirculates down and around through the passageways I02 and around thewater passageway I between the outer and inner shells and into the waterchamber of the base through openings I04.

From the chamber 32 of the base 4 the water circulates through theconnections 40 and 30 up wardly through the coil 24 and out through theofftake at the upper side of the cap.

It will be assumed that the pipe 96 is connected to a fuel supply suchas the gas supply. In that case gas flows through valve mechanism 94 andinwardly and downwardly through passageway 60 and past needle valve I4and through nozzle 68 and then upwardly through space 64 and into burner84. The needle valve is adjusted to regulate the desired amount of gasbeing supplied the burner. Air enters through the passageways 66 in moreor less amount according to the adjustment of theplate I8 which, whenused, may be set to provide the correct amount of air for the mosteflicient combustion. Air may also enter the opening or openings 85.

The products of combustion pass upwardly within the tube 50, thendownwardly in the passageway between the said tube 50 and the innershell 8 and then outwardly through flue 46. The supply of fuel iscontrolled by the control-valve mechanism operated by thetemperature-sensitive thermostat while the cut-off mechanism indicatedat I00 will operate to cut off the supply of fuel if the flame isextinguished.

It will be noted that the water takes a circuitous path downwardly andaround from the cap to the base and then upwardly while the products ofcombustion pass upwardly through and around the coil and then downwardlyadjacent the inner wall of the outer passageway. In this way, there isthe most eificient heat transfer action which results in low-costoperation. Any condensation of'atmospheric moisture falls into the dripcup which is relatively deep so that the condensation is vaporized bythe heated burner and passes out through the one or more openings suchas 84 in the cup.

The means for connecting the lower end of the coil to the outer watercompartment not only serves to provide a detachable connection but it isnot as susceptible to injury by the flame over the burner .as is thecase with a coil which is readily attacked by the gases which must bereplaced from time to time because it is impaired by the impinging flameand gases.

It will be noted that the apparatus is formed by co-operating separateparts. base associated as they are with the shells 6 and 8 facilitateeconomical manufacture and ready assembling and. at the same time it ispossible to provide a structure which is not only rugged and substantialbut which is pleasing in appearance. The cap and base, as well as theshells, may be made from such materials as are best adapted to withstandthe service to which the heater is subjected. The means for connectingthe coils to the cap and base not only facilitate easy and readyassembling of the parts but makes it possible to easily and readilyreplace a coil should it be necessary.

Various modifications and changes may be made in the form of theapparatus without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionand therefore it is not desired to be limited by the foregoingdescription of the preferred form of the invention but, if at all, bythe appended claims. What we desire to claim and secure by LettersPatent of the United States is:

1. A water heating apparatus comprising in combination, a cap havingco-operating walls forming a water chamber and a water take-off, a basehaving an outer wall and an inner apertured wall forming a waterchamber, separate outer and inner spaced shells having their oppositeends secured to said cap and base forming a water space therebetween,the said base and cap provided with passageways from the water chambersthereof to the water space between the outer and inner shells, a coilextending upwardly within the inner shell, separable connections betweenthe upper end of said coil and water chamber of the cap, separableconnections between the lower end of said coil and water chamber of thebase, a central combustion tube around said coil and spaced from saidinner shell, the first-named connections including hollow separableengageable members receiving the upper end of said coil engaging a wallof the said cap at a side of the Water takeoff thereof and thelast-named connections including an upwardly extending hollow memberreceiving the lower end of said coil at the inner side of the inner wallof the base and a hollow member engaging the outer side of said Wall andsaid upwardly extending member, the outer wall of said base providedwith an opening adjacent the last-named connection to permit accessthereto and the said cap having an opening associated with the oiftakethereof adjacent the first-named connections sufiiciently large to Thatis, a cap and base having an outer wall and an inner apertured wallforming a water chamber, separate outer and inner spaced shells havingtheir opposite ends secured to said cap and base forming a water spacetherebetween, the said base and cap provided with passageways from thewater chambers thereof to the water space between the outer and innershells, a coil extending upwardly within the inner shell, separableconnections between the upper end of said coil and water take-off of thecap, separable connections between the lower end of said coil .and waterchamber of the base, a central combustion tube around said coil andspaced from said inner shell, the first-named connections includinghollow separable engageable members receiving the upper end of said coilengaging a wall of the said cap at a side of the water take-01f thereofand the last-named connections including an upwardly extending hollowmember receiving the lower end of said coil at the inner side of theinner wall of the base and a hollow member engaging the outer side ofsaid wall and said upwardly extending member, the outer wall of saidbase provided with an opening adjacent the last-named connection topermit access thereto.

3. A water heating apparatus comprising in combination, a cap havingco-operating walls forming a water chamber and a water take-off, a basehaving an outer wall and an inner apertured wall forming a waterchamber, separate outer and inner spaced shells having their oppositeends secured to said cap and base forming a water space therebetween, abafile in said water space, the said base and cap provided withpassageways from the water chambers thereof to the water space betweenthe outer and inner shells, a coil extending upwardly within the innershell, separabl'e connections between the upper end of said coil andwater take-off of the cap, separable connections between the lower endof said coil and water chamber of the base, a central combustion tubearound said coil and spaced from said inner shell, the first-namedconnections including hollow separable engage able members receiving theupper end of said coil engaging a wall of the said cap at a side of thewater take-off thereof and the last-named connections including anupwardly extending hollow member receiving the lower end of said coil atthe inner side of the inner wall of the base and a hollow memberengaging the outer side of said wall and said upwardly extending member,the outer wall of said base provided with an opening adjacent thelast-named connection to permit access thereto.

HENRY W. A. JOHNSON. ROBERT H. MOORE.

